RAB, Little Brother
by RArcturusBlack
Summary: Regulus Black has just started his 4th year at Hogwarts, but with the Wizarding War already 5 years in, students are taking sides and his family's politics are influencing them. Can Regulus keep his head above it all or will he slowly drown from the pressure?


R.A.B, Little Brother

Chapter 1

3rd September, 1975

Black. Blackness all around, the sound of a train whistle. Then the sudden judder of the brakes being released and the Hogwarts express started to pull out of the station. The cheering and tearful goodbyes started to reach his ears and he pulled his wizard cloak off his head enough to peer out the window. There were the stony faces of his parents seeing them off. They were both dressed in black, a high and mighty air in their posture. Only the other noble families were surrounding them, but at least they were smiling as they saw their children off, not to be seen again until Christmas. Orion Black stood close behind his wife, but not touching her. Walburga had her hands clasped firmly in front of her, making no move to wave to her two sons. Soon the steam clouded their view out of the window and Regulus put the cloak back over his head.

His mother and father were not happy with him for having defended his brother in yet another family gathering. Regulus had made the point that they had already disowned Sirius enough so the fact that they were keeping up these pretences that Sirius was still heir was stupid and that they should announce that they had changed it to himself. That had earned him a back-handed strike from his father. A shout of outcry from his mother and for Sirius to slink off to his room from where he had been watching from the doorway; not to be seen from until they were travelling to get the train three days later.

The compartment door opens and a familiar voice asks Sirius if he wants to move into the next train carriage. It's James Potter. His older brother's best friend. Regulus receives a light kick to his shin and he pulls the cloak down once again.  
"What's up?"  
"I'm off Reg, don't do anything stupid, study for your exams and steer clear of 'those' nobles okay?" Sirius pats him on the shoulder as he gets up, James has a hold of his case.  
"That's it? That's all you are going to say to me? After I defended you?!"  
"What do you want me to say Reg? thanks for taking the blow off of father instead?"

"No obviously not I-"

"Then please. Don't. Don't take the heat for me again. You are my little brother and I care for you, but I can't help you if you get on mother and father's bad side" He sighs and ruffles Regulus' hair.  
"Sirius…" He whines and scrunches his face but makes no move to stop him; secretly enjoying the short moment of sibling normality and human interaction.  
"Be good okay?" Sirius looks doubtful, but he doesn't air his worry and concern. Instead he promptly leaves the compartment and doesn't turn to look back to wait for an answer or say goodbye.

"okay…"Reg whispers as he looks out the window, the English countryside speeding by. He hears the door closing shut again. James exiting silently to follow Sirius, leaving Regulus alone with his thoughts.

The next thing he knew it was dark outside and he was being jerked awake by the train pulling into Hogsmead station. Students were already clambering to get off the train and onto the carriages that were charmed to pull themselves. The first years were being corralled by Hagrid, the gamekeeper, to be taken across the loch to the castle.

Regulus gets up and starts to make his way towards the line waiting for the carriages. He spots his brother and his three friends climbing into one and set off, he doesn't even look in his direction, too focused on whatever Lupin is saying to him. Regulus liked Remus, he was the smartest of his brother's friends and certainly tried to keep them all out of trouble. Unless he wanted to be in on one of their stupid schemes; then he was a force to be reckoned with.

Reg spots Severus a bit away from him with Lily Evans, a girl with whom he's been childhood friends with. As he moves closer he can hear the two talking about home, Severus seems upset and Lily puts a reassuring pat on his shoulder. Regulus still couldn't understand why Snape was still friends with her, she was a mud-blood and a Gryffindor, then again, the same could be said about himself still wanting to talk to his brother, a blood traitor now, so who was he to judge. As Reg pulls up beside Snape, they stop talking abruptly, and Evans turns to leave but not before giving a curt nod of greetings to him, they were in the Slug Club together after all and he would be damned if he was ever shown not to be mannerful at all times, regardless of what he and his family thought of mud-bloods and muggles, Lily Evans was certainly bright, and he admired that considering her background.

"everything okay Severus?" Black asked quietly as they enter a carriage with some Slytherin second year girls. One seems to show a particular fondness in him, but he pays her no mind.

"It's fine, I'm fine." He hung his head, not speaking a word as they rode up to the castle. When they reached the front door, he excused himself to the bathroom, his face barely shown through his thick limp locks of black hair. Regulus just watches his friend scurry away from him until he disappears around the corner to the main toilets.

As he enters the Great Hall, he scans the behemoth room as he enters the main doors. On his furthest right is the Gryffindor table, then the Hufflepuff, in the centre at the end of the hall is the teachers table. A huge throne where Dumbledore, the headmaster sits, is directly in the middle. McGonagall is already in her seat to the left of the throne. She watches as the older students file in, waiting for the moment the new first years will arrive so she can collect them for sorting. Next is the Ravenclaw's table and finally on the left is the Slytherin table.

Regulus can hear a heated rant being said from the Gryffindor table. The Irish lilt to the voice is unmistakeable and is making no means to speak quietly, typical.  
"- me mam is furious, so she is! Blames Maggie for aula this, just before-a left fir Londonthere was a gun attack in Tullyvallen. Five proddies were killed. Me mam said it's a shame tha-"  
Behind him, Regulus tunes into another, slightly better conversation happening at the Ravenclaw table as he slowly passes by due to the sheer volume of students trying to get to their houses and peers.

"That Scargill couple made it back you know?" a boy says, "I heard they cycled 18,020 miles around the world! That's insane" exclaims the girl on his right, "Dad wants to ask them why they didn't just fly to places instead"

"Apparently it's because they wanted to try muggle inventions-"  
Reg continues between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables eventually finding a spot with the other forth years.

Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes are all a little bit further up the table from him. They were the nobles that his brother had warned him about earlier. Fifth years. Most likely will join their parents soon in ties with the Dark Lord. Regulus had overheard many a discussion at the family gathering. Things he really shouldn't have; but it had armed him with enough information to keep his head above water. For now.

By the time Regulus had gotten settled in his seat, most of the students had come in and sat down. Soon a tall bearded man stood on the raised stage. A stone lecture with the carving of an owl in flight was placed in front of him, seemingly rising like water to solidify and stand as if it had not been moved in a millennium. Dumbledore. An imposing figure. An excellent and well-respected wizard. An enemy of the Dark Lord. His Headmaster.

Dumbledore looks out upon the students and addresses the hall.  
"Students, another summer has come and gone. I hope that you have all prepared once again for another year of learning. Very soon we will be welcoming our new first years into this hallowed hall. I trust that we shall treat them well, show them the way, teach them our rules and bolster them with knowledge" His voice is soft and lilting, but still strong and powerful.

He claps his hands and the enchanted candles above shine a bit brighter, as the doors open and McGonagall starts marching the new first years down the hall in-between the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs. The sorting ceremony begins. This year seems to be mainly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, a few Gryffindors and even fewer Slytherins. Not surprising since the outbreak of the War on Lord Voldemort had now been going on for about five years. Many parents were wary of their children joining either of the Gryffindor or Slytherin houses if they did not already have family ties to them, but sometimes the house chooses you and you can't escape your fate. Can you?

At that, Dumbledore raises his hands for everyone to join him in the singing of the school anthem. A silver ribbon flows from his wand with the lyrics embroidered and shinning.

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot_"

As the anthem has no set tune, it is often a cats choir of many different tempos, tunes and keys. Yet every year if seemed to be getting more sombre, where normally folk would be laughing towards the end this had been the worst rendition to date, and certainly for the older students it was felt more so than ever. Reg just wanted to take his mind off this now, where on earth was Severus?

Dumbledore seemed to not have noticed, or at the very least pretended to and says  
" _Welcome to Hogwarts, now let the feast Begin!"_  
Soon the once bare and empty tables are now filled to the brim with meats, veg, condiments and cakes. Black starts to load his place with potatoes, some slices of honeyed ham and gravy. As he is passing the gravy to another student he notices that Snape has sneaked his way back into the Hall. He beckons over to him, indicating that he had saved Severus a seat, but Sev sits further up the table in-between Avery and Mulciber. Since when were they friends? Wasn't he going to explain why he had been away for so long in the bathroom at least? Or that hushed talk with Evans? Reg felt miffed and slighted at this dismissal on Sev's part, so decided to take his anger out on some boiled potatoes. What a great start to the year this was ending up to be.

After dinner, Regulus took a slow and meandering pace to the Slytherin dormitories. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the jostling of the other students trying to clamber down the narrow spiral staircase and to fight for the best seats in the common room.

Severus had left promptly after dinner with Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes. They had been talking quietly together the whole time. Sev didn't even bother to look in Reg's direction the entire meal. Had something happened over summer? Was Reg to blame? They had written letters to one another and everything had seemed fine?

Regulus finally reached the Slytherin Door. The corridor was empty and quiet. Only the sound of water dripping from the ceiling slowly and echoing off the walls could be heard.

Regulus stopped and faced the wall. There was a statue of a snake that curled itself on a dais. Its eyes were inlaid with Rubies and the fire lanterns made them sparkle and dance.

"Paassssswordd?" It hissed. The sound carrying down the corridor.  
Shit. New Year. New Password; and Reg didn't know it.  
"Um… Pureblood?"  
"Guesssss again"  
"Err… Salazar?"

"Guesssss again." It was slightly irritated now. If statues could be.  
"I don't know, Cunning? Emerald? Ambitious?"

"Guesssss Again."

"Goddammit. Royalty?!" He was getting frustrated now and just wanted to go to bed. The corridor was cold and damp and he was not in the mood to argue with the bloody door.

"OH! Baron!"

"Guesssss AGAIN"  
"Oh for Merlin's sake" Regulus pulled out his wand and pointed it at the snake's Ruby eye.

"I am Regulus Arcturus Black; member of the Sacred Pure-Blood family and I demand that you let me into the Common Room at once!"

His voice reverberated off the stones. It went quiet. He paused, starting to wonder if that would really work at all. Then the stone slab slid back and to the side, opening for him.  
"Yessssss… your Highness."

Regulus marched his way inside and down the flight of steps that opened up into the common room. He spotted a group of first years and made a beeline for them.

"What's the password this year?!" he barked at the group.

They squeaked. He would have found that funny if he hadn't been so mad.

"It'd. It's Serpent!" one pipped up.  
"Thank you." Regulus then turned on his heel and headed for his room.

It was only when he had fallen back onto his bed that he had realised the snake statue had called him 'Your Highness' and that the common room had gone eerily quiet when he had entered, knowing fully well that it was normally loud and rowdy from everyone catching up with one another from the holidays.

How peculiar.

His dorm was also empty. He hadn't seen his roommates all evening either; three empty beds, where normally sat three reasonably studious boys who were usually hunkered down for the night by now. How strange.

Regulus decided to go get ready for bed. He wasn't in the mood to deal with whatever was happening in the common room today or with just today in general. As he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth he thought he saw his brother for a split second as he passed one of the mirrors. Their resemblance was getting more noticeable. The black curled hair that came to their shoulders, the angular faces and strong jawlines. Regulus was still more baby-faced than his brother, whose high cheekbones made him sought after by most of the students. His eyes were the most noticeably different, where his brothers were a steely cold grey-blue, like mothers, his where darker brown and green like fathers. Unlike Sirius though Reg was smaller in frame and thin. Not as rake-like looking as Snape was mind you, but certainly wasn't going to win a fist fight anytime soon. He should probably do something about that if he wanted to try out for the Quidditch team this year.

He curled up under his covers after drawing the four poster curtains closed around him. They were a beautiful emerald green, made of plush velvet and silver trim. Adorning each post was a carved snake that wound its way up each corner of the bed. The headboard had ornate trim and the whole piece was made of a dark coloured walnut. The pillows were duck and goose feather and the sheets of emerald and silver were Egyptian cotton. Of course, this was from parents' donations to the Slytherin household and not the standard bedding for the other houses. Only the best for Purebloods, naturally. He nodded off quickly, the stress of home, the journey to Hogwarts and the feast finally all catching up to him.

Regulus walks into the common-room that morning searching for Severus Snape. Both boys normally rose up early so they could get breakfast together and go over classes, notes etc. He was there. Waiting.

"Severus! Where were you? Where did you go last night?"  
"My god Reg, are you okay? Did you win?"

"I'm fine, wait. Win? Win what?" He was confused, what on earth was Sev talking about?

Severus just looked a mixture of flabbergasted and nervous. He took Regulus' wrist and started pulling him quickly to the Great Hall.

"Come on. There is so much I need to tell you."

They both make their way over to the predominately empty Slytherin table and sit down on the same side, backs to the Ravenclaw table that was already halfway full with eager students.

"Okay so please fill me in? what on earth is happening?" Reg says before they have even settled in their seats. Severus leans in close in case anyone tries to listen in.  
"Well… where to start really? Rabastan Lestrange, you know the 3rd year, wants to have a wizard's duel with either yourself or Sirius for the title of ' _Prince of Slytherin'_ since well you know… only true purebloods from the _coveted_ twenty eighth families can challenge for it and-" as he's saying this the boys load their plates with breakfast.

"Wait that old tradition? Are you being serious? What's Lestrange thinking bringing back that old relic, we haven't had a Prince or 'Heir' since the-" Reg does a quick glance around before whispering "Chamber was opened; and even then, if the other students or the teachers caught wind of such talk… it's not worth it."

Snape is scarfing down some link sausages and points his fork at Reg "Try telling that to him. His older brother and your cousin are apparently a huge influence"

He sighs "That I can believe, neither Rodolphus or Bella are the most stable family members. Bella is obsessed to another level about purity and considers our family the highest tier of Royalty. Second to the Gaunts of course but no-one has heard from them in ages. So that leaves the Lestrange as third trueblood family. Even then Sirius has always been considered the Heir by default so why the sudden-" the realisation dawned on him. He stares into the middle distance.

"What? What is it Regulus?" Snape bends his head more into Black's eyeline to get his attention. His lank hair almost touching the scrambled eggs on his plate.

"Of course; the family meeting. There was talks of myself becoming heir to the Black family instead. Mother and Father refused. So that's created an unstable situation. If Sirius doesn't take the position and I my parents have refused me then…"

"Bellatrix is next in line as the eldest daughter" It was Snape's turn to stare at his breakfast plate in horror. Now realising the danger that it would put them in.

"Her influence would be extreme, volatile. An inside job to strike Dumbledore from within his own walls, using his own students against him. It's genius… but of course she can't do it so it's up to Rabastan instead"

"It's a powder keg"

"A powder keg indeed"

The boys sit in silence as the eat the rest of their breakfast. Snape purses his lips, as if he were unsure to ask something, the Slytherin table now mostly filled with other students. Black stands up and drains the rest of his orange juice. Snape grabs at his friends' robe.

"What are you going to do?"

"Whatever I need to."

Snape lets go of Black's robe; shocked at how resolute and powerful his friend had looked and sounded at that moment. The sudden aura he had exuded. There was no doubt of the Black family's power and influence, but sometimes it was jarring for Snape to see it come from shy, kind-hearted Regulus Black.


End file.
